1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to door unlocking tools and, more particularly, to a door unlocking tool having a pushrod tip and a flathead tip for unlocking a lock mechanism for a conventional door knob.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional door knobs used for bathrooms, bedrooms, and the like, may have a lock integrated therein to thus secure a room and “lock out” others. Such locks as integrated within conventional door knob hardware are also frequently provided with a safeguard feature that enables a person on the other side of the locked door to deactivate the lock and open the door. In its most basic form, the door knob on the opposite side of the knob having the lock mechanism is provided with an aperture into which a flathead type tip or pushrod tip can be inserted which will release the lock mechanism. Such means to deactivate the lock is provided as a safeguard to the extent a door is inadvertently locked, as may occur with small children, people with disabilities, the elderly, carelessness and emergency situations.
Problematic with the safety release mechanism integrated as part of such conventional door locks is the need to have readily accessible the flathead tip or pushrod tip that is meant to be inserted into the door knob to release the door lock. Typically, such device is provided with the original door hardware and becomes lost or otherwise cannot be readily accessed. In such event, makeshift devices, such as bent paper clips, hanger wire and other creatively fashioned alternatives must be utilized. Such alternatives, however, are frustrating, can scratch the door hardware, may not work properly, can jam and break the locking mechanism, and may not be capable of being deployed quickly enough in a given situation (e.g., when a child may inadvertently lock himself in a room). Furthermore, the generic tool that is provided with the door hardware whether it be a pushrod tip or a flathead tip is typically small in size and easily misplaced. The generic tool is used on conventional privacy door knobs typically installed for bathroom doors or bedrooms. These types of conventional door knobs may or may not have a keyed cylinder for unlocking or locking the door knob. Because the generic tool is relatively small in size it is also uncomfortable to use when attempting to unlock a door. The small size makes it hard to get a good grip on the tool and gain leverage when utilizing the generic tool to unlock a door knob. Furthermore, the generic tool is difficult to use in the dark, or in an emergency situation.
Accordingly, there exists a need in the art for a door unlocking tool that can be utilized to readily deactivate the lock mechanism of a conventional door knob. This need is addressed by the present invention, as will be described in more detail below.